Incubation times and backwards chicks

[Barry42001]

On day 19 one of my eggs piped to the outside and began actively working a whole in the shell. How about 12 hours later two more eggs have started piping that would make it in the day 20 that in and of itself I suppose shouldn't bother me but what does is that two of the eggs the chick is backwards that is this a open the shell up away from the air sac or the narrow end. Now it has knocked a sizable hole in the Shell it is getting fresh air you can see it breathing but it is in the narrow end. How does that happen. I haven't rendered any assistance to getting it out of the egg yet I'm letting it work its way out of it if it can but I don't want to hurt its neck trying to. Why would eggs start to hatch a full two days before they were supposed to that doesn't make any sense cuz the incubator kept a steady 99.6 degrees with 86% humidity.

 

[Alaskan]

On day 19 one of my eggs piped to the outside and began actively working a whole in the shell. How about 12 hours later two more eggs have started piping that would make it in the day 20 that in and of itself I suppose shouldn't bother me but what does is that two of the eggs the chick is backwards that is this a open the shell up away from the air sac or the narrow end. Now it has knocked a sizable hole in the Shell it is getting fresh air you can see it breathing but it is in the narrow end. How does that happen. I haven't rendered any assistance to getting it out of the egg yet I'm letting it work its way out of it if it can but I don't want to hurt its neck trying to. Why would eggs start to hatch a full two days before they were supposed to that doesn't make any sense cuz the incubator kept a steady 99.6 degrees with 86% humidity.

2 different factors...

1. if some areas of your incubator are a bit warmer than others (or your thermometer isn't telling you the true temp, and the temp is a bit hotter), they will hatch earlier.

2. if they are hatching in the wrong end of the egg, they are hatching sooner. (so you are correct, do NOT help them). When they hatch in the wrong end the first pip that is supposed to be into the air cell is to the outside! So... let then be and wait.

As to why you have several that are hatching in the wrong end... were they turned often enough during incubation? In the first 18 days of incubation they do best when turned often. 3 times a day is the minimum , but 5 or even more is better.

 

[Barry42001]

Turner set to 6x a day
Thanks for the information

 

[Alaskan]

Turner set to 6x a day
Thanks for the information

well... hummmmm

if you know the turner is actually working like it should ... then I am not sure why so many of them are hatching backwards.